Great Glute Exercises You’ve Never Tried: Band-Resisted Storks
I get asked about training the glutes more than anything else. We all know the classic exercises and have done them over and over. Deadlifts, Squats, Lunges and so on.
But if we solely rely on these same moves throughout the year, we get mentally and physically burnt out. Our body’s positive adaptation to exercise simply can’t happen effectively if we keep doing the same thing over and over.
Over the next four weeks, join me as I introduce you to some less typical glute exercises that I’ve used to help some of the best athletes in the world tone and enhance the function of their glutes. These weekly exercises can be done for activation before a workout, or for overload to build strength and size. We’ve previously covered Mini Band Jumps and Side-Banded Split Squats. This week, Stork with Hip Abduction (alternately referred to as Band-Resisted Storks).
How to Perform Stork With Hip Abduction
Every wide receiver I’ve ever worked with in my practice has done this drill. It’s all about the leg that is on the step, not the leg in the air. Our hip stabilizes us when the foot is on the ground. This “closed chain position” is where we get our power and stability from.
Wrap a medium-to-heavy mini band around the ankles. Stand on a step with both feet pointing straight ahead. Come down into a shallow “hip hinge” by leaning the trunk forward and bending first through the hip and then the knee. Bring the airborne leg straight out to the side and slowly back toward your midline. Make sure the toes on the moving leg always point straight ahead as opposed to outside. Also be sure to keep the shoulders “stacked” on top of the hips. In other words, don’t let your shoulders lean off to the side. Perform 3 sets of 12 reps on each side.
Derek Samuel is a licensed physical therapist and owner of Derek Samuel MPT. He’s trained multiple Heisman Trophy winners, NFL and MLB MVPs, NFL All-Pros and NCAA All-Americans. This article is the third in a four-part series on glute exercises. If you enjoyed it, follow him on Instagram.
READ MORE:
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
MOST POPULAR
Great Glute Exercises You’ve Never Tried: Band-Resisted Storks
I get asked about training the glutes more than anything else. We all know the classic exercises and have done them over and over. Deadlifts, Squats, Lunges and so on.
But if we solely rely on these same moves throughout the year, we get mentally and physically burnt out. Our body’s positive adaptation to exercise simply can’t happen effectively if we keep doing the same thing over and over.
Over the next four weeks, join me as I introduce you to some less typical glute exercises that I’ve used to help some of the best athletes in the world tone and enhance the function of their glutes. These weekly exercises can be done for activation before a workout, or for overload to build strength and size. We’ve previously covered Mini Band Jumps and Side-Banded Split Squats. This week, Stork with Hip Abduction (alternately referred to as Band-Resisted Storks).
How to Perform Stork With Hip Abduction
Every wide receiver I’ve ever worked with in my practice has done this drill. It’s all about the leg that is on the step, not the leg in the air. Our hip stabilizes us when the foot is on the ground. This “closed chain position” is where we get our power and stability from.
Wrap a medium-to-heavy mini band around the ankles. Stand on a step with both feet pointing straight ahead. Come down into a shallow “hip hinge” by leaning the trunk forward and bending first through the hip and then the knee. Bring the airborne leg straight out to the side and slowly back toward your midline. Make sure the toes on the moving leg always point straight ahead as opposed to outside. Also be sure to keep the shoulders “stacked” on top of the hips. In other words, don’t let your shoulders lean off to the side. Perform 3 sets of 12 reps on each side.
Derek Samuel is a licensed physical therapist and owner of Derek Samuel MPT. He’s trained multiple Heisman Trophy winners, NFL and MLB MVPs, NFL All-Pros and NCAA All-Americans. This article is the third in a four-part series on glute exercises. If you enjoyed it, follow him on Instagram.
READ MORE: